-Seeking Hope-
22-12-04

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: As much as I want to I don't own any LOTR characters, places, monsters or anything else created by Tolkien, but I do own the characters and places, which I have invented or will invent or introduce. If you wish to use any of my characters or places, email me first.

Read the first chapter for additional notes and other information.

Showing amazing reflexes, Tarveth rolled out of the arrow's path, grabbed Estel's dagger from where it'd fallen, and plunged it with her good arm into the thing's chest, piecing it's heart.

A thud from behind told Estel the arrow had hit the tree. Tar had won the bet, just. As the orc's foot left his neck Estel gasped for breath while Tar calmly inspected her wound. It was only now that he noticed the horses were gone.

"Where's Vorimaer?" He asked, making his way over to the bleeding elf.

Looking up from her injury, she said painfully, "When the orcs appeared I sent them off into the forest. They'll be back soon now the sun's risen." The arrow had missed the bones and major blood vessels but half stuck out the front, and the tip protruded from her back. Placing one hand on the arrow shaft, she whispered, "Look away Estel."

Estel realized what she was going to do a split second before she did. Not having time to turn away, he shut his eyes instead. A sharp hiss told him she'd pulled the arrow out, but he still didn't open his eyes. He heard Tarveth stand and walk over to the packs. 'The injury must be paining her' Estel thought 'for she doesn't walk silently.'

"Open your eyes Estel, there's not that much blood." Estel slowly opened one eye, then the other. Tar was sitting next to her pack, trying to wrap a bandage around her shoulder one handed. The barbed arrow lay next to her, still dripping with elven blood. "Estel, could you give me a hand?" Tar asked, unable to tie the bandage with one hand.

Estel tried to rise but his leg was too sore after the battle. Seeing this, Tarveth stood up and walked slowly and carefully over to him. She was swaying slightly from the sudden loss of blood. Upon reaching him she almost fell over, but caught herself just in time. Painfully she lowered herself so she was in front of the boy.

Estel didn't like blood, but he placed his friend's health over his fears. "Can you tie it off?" Tar asked over her uninjured shoulder.

"No." Estel replied. "I need something to secure it. Like a pin or a broach-" An idea coming to him, he carefully removed his father's broach and used it to pin the bandage together, now dotted with red spots from the still bleeding wound.

Tar saw the broach and look puzzled for a moment before muttering, "It can't be."

"What?" Estel questioned.

"Oh, nothing of importance." She lied, lifting her arm to see if the bandage would hold. Satisfied, the elf turned to face the boy. "We'd better start moving. When orcs are about wargs come out." Estel smiled at the rhyme.

"That rhymed." Estel said, his mind taken off the situation at hand.

Tarveth nodded. "In Rhun little children were taught rhymes and poems to help them remember things."

Estel began to think up some of his own, not noticing what Tar was doing till she let out a quiet curse. She was inspecting the arrow, and was rubbing something between her fingers. Now that he looked closely, the tip of the arrow had some black liquid still stuck to it. There was probably more, but Tar's blood covered the rest of the killing tool.

"Tar?" He said softly. She quickly thrust the evil arrow into her pack and whistled shrilly, appearing not to notice the question.

Sure enough, two horses came trotting into the clearing. "Vorimaer will carry the packs. I'll ride with you on Mornsuifuin. Let me help you up."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Have you got everything?" Elrohir asked his twin while walking swiftly across the grounds towards the stables. Every elf that could ride was out searching for their brother, except them.

Dan shot back "Of course, this is our brother we're talking about." Ro lowered his head. Realizing he'd said it to harshly, Dan apologised. "Sorry brother. It's just-"

"I know, it's ok." Ro said, patting him on the back. Just then Glorfindel appeared out of nowhere. The two twins quickly jumped behind some thick bushes, not wanting to be seen. Elrond had forbidden them to go look from him until later that day. And like everything Elrond told them not to do, they did it.

Glorfindel walked past the bush without a second glance. Then he stopped, backtracked, and pulled two elves from behind it. "I think I can guess what you two are up to." He stated.

Elladan pleaded with him. "Please Glorfindel, that's our brother out there. What else are we suppose to do? You'd do the same if it was Tarveth."

Glorfindel nodded and smiled weakly. Releasing his hold on them, he slowly said, "You're right. Go, and don't worry. I won't tell Elrond." Those two would owe him big time if Elrond found out. As he watch them run towards the horses he turned in the direction of the healing wing to prepare for their return.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Estel could almost feel Tar growing weaker by the minute. Sitting in front of her upon Mornsuifuin, he couldn't see her face, but her hands were very hot and shaking slightly. For three hours they'd been riding, and not once had the elf shown any sign of slowing down. 'Their all as stubborn as each other,' he thought, remembering all the times his brothers had hidden injuries from their father.

As the horse jumped over a fallen tree Estel heard Tar give off a sharp hiss. Turning a little, he saw the bandage was almost completely red, meaning the bleeding hadn't stopped. Her face was pale and wet from sweat, her eyes slightly dimmed and glazed over and her breathing slow and shallow. Estel knew that the orc arrow must have been poisoned, but why wasn't Tar stopping?

"Tar?" He asked softly. "What's wrong?" He hated seeing elves injured, their immortal lives in danger.

"Nothing Estel." She poorly lied. A blind man could tell she wasn't well.

"We need to stop. You aren't well." Estel insisted in the most commanding voice he could muster.

At this the elf smiled before painfully replying, "Rest will do me no good, little human. The sooner we get to Rivendell, the better." With that she encouraged Mornsuifuin to gallop faster, which Estel didn't think was possible. Vorimaer was keeping up, not showing any sign of weakness despite his injury.

This pace continued for several more hours, and with each hour passing Tarveth's grip became weaker and conversation less. As the sun began to set Estel assumed they half an hour from Rivendell, maybe a little more. They were going to make it; Tar was going to be all right!

Fate, it seemed, had other ideas, for at that moment Tar's grip failed entirely as she slid off Mornsuifuin's back, landing face down on the grass, not moving or making a sound.

I love poisons, and will be using them often in my stories. The way it slowly kills you, flowing through your veins. This poison is real, but other's I'll make up. You'd be surprised how many different poisons and side effects there are. There's this one poison that acts like a truth drug, making you (Snaps out of it) anyway, review if you want Tar to live, or die, just review please. If I didn't want to keep my pride I'd beg, but enough of me rambling on. Responses:

apsenniel: Yeah, a new reviewer. Good too see another person likes the story so far. Glad you think tar's interesting. I'll tell you this, she hiding a lot more secrets, some for better and some for worse. Next chapter will be up on Christmas day, and the last chapter hopefully in early January. (Making you wait that long, I'm so kind sometimes.)

HarryEstel: Sorry to disappoint you but I won't. There's two more chapters and the last one will be up after the New Year, but the second last one will be up on Xmas day. I'm not evil, I'm just making you check every few hours in case I updated. Keep reviewing, cause most people have stopped. (Shoots some arrows into people labelled 'grumpy' and 'JEWK'.

Two chapters left, one up before Xmas. There's one thing I want you to do, and it stars with r and consists of six letters. So do it! (Walks off singing 12 days of Christmas cause I can't get it out of my head, it's driving me insane!")